No. 17 is plenty hard for Big Easy

PONTE VEDRA BEACH — If Ernie Els were the czar of golf, there would be no 17th island hole at the TPC Sawgrass Stadium Course.

"I think they should just blow it up, seriously," Els said.

Els said this after rinsing his tee shot at the 17th hole Thursday in the first round of The Players Championship. He was 2 under until making triple bogey there. He hit a wedge fat and about 30 feet short of the green with the little par 3 playing to 146 yards.

Eighteen players hit 19 balls in the water at the 17th in the first round. Matt Kuchar hit two balls in the pond. Adam Scott and Jim Furyk, No. 3 and No. 7 in the world rankings, respectively, hit into the water on back-to-back tee shots.

"I made one bad swing, I chunked a wedge," said Els, who birdied the 18th to finish at even-par 72, six shots off the lead. "Everything you work for over 4 1/2 hours, and on one shot, it's gone."

Els said he didn't think a major championship-type event should include a hole like that, but not everyone agrees. Paul Goydos found some humor in his rinsed shot there. Goydos said his critical mistake at the 17th island hole was failing to throw a couple of balls in the water during his practice round to appease whatever spirits reside there.

"Usually when you play your practice round, you take your balls and just throw them in the water, just to get it out of your system," Goydos said.

"I didn't do it this year. I should have."

Goydos knocked his 8-iron over the island green. In 28 previous rounds, he believes he only hit in the water there one other time. He salvaged bogey and shot 68.

Thompsons galore at TPC

Coral Springs' Nicholas Thompson felt right at home at The Players Championship in his first official round on the TPC Sawgrass Stadium Course.

Thompson felt comfortable even before making a strong debut with a 2-under-par 70.

It started with his mother, Judy, making a home-cooked meal in the six-bedroom house Nicholas is renting for his family this week south of the course.

"Mom made tacos," Thompson, 25, said. "The family spent a couple hours on the beach together. It's been nice."

Thompson's 15-year-old brother, Curtis, 13-year-old sister, Alexis, grandmother Mimi and uncle Jimmy are his guests this week. They all followed him in a round where he made an eagle, three birdies and three bogeys.

The three tough finishing holes caused Thompson no problems. He eagled the 16th, made an easy par at the 17th island hole and nearly birdied the 18th hole.

"I played solid golf and hit a lot of good shots," Thompson said. "My bogeys were all three putts, and I didn't miss an up and down. I never really put myself in danger."

Thompson arrived full of confidence with fourth-place ties in the past month.